Push-button switch construction



July 1954 L. L. VERKUIL 2,684,411

PUSH-BUTTON SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Filed April 13, 1951 1b lmrullfwr)Isnnentor 450 L. l f /r/ru @2195 mum Gttorneg Patented July 20, 1954UNITED STATES iTENT OFFICE Leo L. Verkuil, Norwalk, Conn, assignor toEd- Norwalk, 001111., a corpo- Wards Company, Inc.,

ration of New York Application April 13, 1951, Serial No. 220,867

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to push button switch construction.

One or" the objects of this invention is to provide a push button switchconstruction that will be neat in appearance, compact, and convenient inpractical use. Another object is to provide a push button switchconstruction of the multiple push type in which identifying indicia forthe different switches or pushes may be easily and conveniently appliedor changed. Another object is to provide a construction of thejustmentioned type in which visibility of the identifying indicia isgreatly enhanced and their legibility made easier, all in a manner freefrom impairment of ease and facility of assembly, or even of disassemblyfor purposes of changing the identifying indicia. Another object is toprovide, in a push button switch construction, a simple, practical, andreliable arrangement for protectively holding and displaying identifyingindicia, such as a small sheet or tab of paper, cardboard, or like sheetmaterial, bearing the desired legends. Another object is to provide aconstruction of the just-mentioned nature in which change orrearrangement of the identifying indicia may be easily and speedilyeffected.

Another object is to provide an improved push button switch constructionof the gang or multiple switch type and to facilitate and simplifymanufacture and assembly thereof. Another object is to provide a pushbutton switch construction in which the push button or manual actuatorwhich controls the switching device can have applied to it the desiredlegend or identifying indicia in a manner that is simple and foolproofand does not interfere with the switching mechanism, and yet achievesdependable and reliable switch actuation without being interfered withby the switch mechanism itself. Another object is to carry out thislast-mentioned object by means of coacting subassemblies which areindividually adapted for simple and efficient manufacture and assemblyand which coact in achieving facility and dependability of assemblythereto of the desired legend-bearing tabs, plate, or other sheetmaterial.

Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will beexemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scopeof the application of which will be in dicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which simic4 lar reference charactersrefer to similar parts throughout the several views- Figure 1 is asmall-scale perspective view of a multiple push button switch as itappears in use;

Figure 2 is a plan or top elevation a it is seen with the upper or coverpart of the casing removed;

Figure 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of the base portionand the multiple switch subasseznbly ready to be assembled to theformer;

Figure l is a perspective view of a frame forming part of thesubassembly of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse cross-section as seen along the line 5-5 ofFigure 1, and

Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View as seen along theline 5-i of Figure 1.

For purposes of illustration, let it be assumed that four circuits,usually signalling circuits, are to be controlled, each by a manuallydepressible actuator, usually called a push or a push button, whether ornot it is round in shape; it is also desired to identify, by anappropriate legend or other identifying indicia, the push allocated toeach of the circuit switches. In the illustration, therefore, fourlegends are to be applied to the four pushes. Since these legends haveto be changed frequently and are oftentimes typewritten on usually nottoo heavy paper, the resultant small tabs, according to past practices,are diflicult to handle or to install or replace, and one of thedominant aims of this invention is to provide a construction in whichsuch objections and difficulties are overcome in a simple and practicalway.

I first provide a sheet or plate 53 of suitably rigid insulatingmaterial, such as hard fiber, and at its respective ends punch two pairsof transversely spaced holes HH and i2--l'2 (Figures 3 and 6), andintermediate of these pairs of holes I punch out, for each switchstructure and push, a set of holes so that there are virtually as manyidentical sets of holes punched in the insulating plate it as there areswitches and pushes. Accordingly, it will suffice to describe one set ofsuch holes, the remaining three sets, where there are four pushes, beingthe same.

Along the longitudinal axis of plate it, a round hole [3 (Figures 5 and6) provides a bearing for slidably guiding the metal stem i i whoseupper end is suitably anchored and secured in a small block is ofnon-conductive material, preferably a molded plastic, which, in thepreferred embodiment of the invention, is rectangular in horizontalcross-section, as appears from Figures 3, 5, and 6; the upper end of theround stem is may be knurled and press-fitted into the block member is,or the material of the latter may be molded about the stem in theprocess of molding and curing it when made of a suitable curableplastic. Slipped onto the stem H5 is a washer or apertured disc N5 ofany suitable springy material and it is held against the under side ofthe member l5 by a helical spring i? that extends about the stem i l andabuts against the insulating plate Ill.

The metal disc i6 is a contact bridging element and underneath it areinsulatingly supporter, by plate Ill, two identical spaced upstandingcontact points :8, i8 (Figure 5). Each is integral with a smallconnector plate .Zilwhich restscros wise of the insulating plate l3 andto one side of the central longitudinal axis, and each plate 28 isstamped to provide two tongues 2i and 22 (Figure 6) which pass throughtwo holes 23 and 24, respectively, punched in the plate iii, against theunder side of which they are bent over to hold the connector plate 26assembled. Each connector plate 253 has a bindingscrew threaded into itat its outer-end and the threaded end portion of the screwcan pass intoa hole ifi'punched in the insulating plate'lil (Figure 5'). The circuitto be controlled by any contact bridging'disc is may thus have itsconductors connected to the two binding screws 25, 25 allocated to thatparticular contact bridging disc and, as is better seenin Figure 2, thebinding screws '25, 25 are aligned in two rows, each along onelongitudinal edge-of the insulatingplate It, where they are thusconveniently accessible.

The block-like member 5 at the upper end of the metal stem I 3 isguidedfor up and down movement, as viewed in Figures 3 and 6, by the walls ofa rectangular aperture 2? (see Figure 4) punched out of the top wall 28of a sheet metal frame, generally indicated by the reference character:28, having depending side walls 23 and 28 which are cut or stamped toprovide depending shouldered tongues 39 of which, in the illustration,the endmost pairs "of tongues 3b and 3b are shown in Figure 4 to be ofabout half the width as the intermediate tongues '30, thus to indicatethat the frame 28 is cut from a long stamping according'to the number ofapertures 2'! that pass through them in the particular multiple switchstructure, four in the illustrative embodiment. When thus-cuttransversely to the desired length, the cutting proceedsalong a planethrough the middle or" two opposed depending tongues and that accountsfor the narrower width of the endmost pairs of tongues 3t, 313.

Each block member 15 is provided adjacent its lower end withsuitablemeans to limit its upward sliding movement between the side walls 28 and23 of the frame 23, and between the opposed guiding walls of theaperture 2 and where :the block member 55 is rectangular in horizontalcross-section; this means preferably comprises laterally projectingflanges 3i and 3! (see Figure 6) along the opposed longitudinal sides ofthe block member I5 which are thus adapted to engage against the underface of the top wall 28 of the frame 25.

With the desired number of block members [5, each with its stem M. andbridging disc 55 and spring l-i, assembled to the frame 2s by projectingeach block member is through an aperture 27, the resultant assemblage isnow secured to the insulating plate iii which has punched in it suitableholes 32 (Figure 6) di- "23 as .is shown in Figure 3.

mensioned to receive the tongues 39 up to the transverse shoulders inthe latter, the tongue portions that project beyond the under side ofthe insulating plate lil being then bent over to clamp the plate itagainst the shoulders.

In the resultant subassembly, the spring ll presses upwardly, as vi wedin Figures 6 and 3, againstthe bridging disc it and block member 55,holding the latter in uppermost position with the side flanges 3i and Siof the block member 55 engaging against the under side of the top wallThe flanges 3!, 3|, in coaction with the stem M in the hole i3 ofinsulating plate ii thus neatly align each block -member is relative tothe frame 28 and all of the block members I5 stand projected upwardly,as in Figure .3.

1 provide a housing or casing, preferably of two separable parts, suchas a lower part generally indicated in Figure 5 at and an upper casingpart generally indicated at t l. The lower casing part 33 is preferablya metal plate 35 in the form or" a stamping of sheet metal, and adjacenteach or" its two narrow ends (Figure 3') there is cut and bentupwardlyand out of the plane of the metal plate a flange part 360i a dimensionabout equal to the width of theinsulating plate it? (Figure 3), andprojecting from the flange part it are two spaced tongues 37 and Theconformation of these parts, as is best shown in Figure 3, can be easilyachieved in a suitable punch and die operation.

The above-described subassembly of the insulating plate is and itsrelated parts, shown in exploded perspective in Figure .3, is .now: se-

cured to the bottom plate 35, the pairs of tongues 37 3'; at the twoends of the plate 35 are ontered into the respective pairs of holes II-l l and l2 2 of the insulating plate, the free-ends of the tongues arethen bent over (see Figure 6), and the insulating plate is thus clampedagainst the horizontal edges of the upstanding flanges 36515, thus alsoreinforcing the plate iii, as is better shown in Figures '5 and -3,positioning and supporting it so that the various eondutive parts of theswitching mechanism, such'as the-clamping tongues 25, 22 of theconnector plates 21!, as well as the ends of the screws 25, are all heldinsulatingly spaced from the metal base plate 35.

The upper casing part 34 casing part as comprises a top wall 3 5 andperipheral side walls fis which are rabbettecl at their bottom edges(Figures 5 and 6) to form a snug seat for the base plate 35 of theswitching mechanism subassembly and for thereby aligning each blockmember 55 with a hole 3'! in the top-wall 34% hole Bl, in theillustrative embodiment, being shaped to be larger than thecross-section of that portion of the block member l5 that is to projectthrough the hole, in order to provide clearance and a coactingrelationship for a push, genera-ll indicated by the reference character'46, in the form of an inverted housing-like element telescopicallyrelated to block member 55. -Where the block member is of rectangularcross-section, in the illustrative embodiment, the interior hollow spacewithin the push element id is of similar cross-section and hence has atop wall ill from which depend side walls #8 that outline a rectangle.

The top face us of the block member iii is preferably flat to form asuitable support against which to rest a nameplate ll (see also Figure3') which may be of any suitable sheet material and which bears anyappropriate identifying legend,

as indicated in the drawings by the word Name, and the under face 49 ofthe top wall ll) of the push element as is parallel to the face l 5 sothat, when the parts I5 and 40 are telescopically related to each otherwith the name tab or plate 4| interposed between them, the name tab 4|,even if of relatively light or fragile material like paper, is neatlyheld flatwise and, as later described, is held under compression betweenthe two parallel faces 40 and [5 Moreover, these faces need not behorizontal, but can be at an angle, as is better shown in Figures 3 and6, thus making for greater ease of legibility. The push element is madeof any suitable transparent material, illustratively a transparentthermo-plastic such as methyl methacrylate, a form of which is known asLucite, so that the legend on the tab at can be seen through the topwall 45 Furthermore, the latter may be given any suitable cross-sectionto cause it to function as a magnifying lens and, in the illustrativeembodiment, with a fiat under face 40, its external surface isexternally convex, being generated by a straight line moving along asuitable curve, as in a so-called planocylindrical lens. Thusreadability is facilitated, and with a substantial degree ofmagnification the various parts may be constructed in physically verysmall and diminutive form.

Onto each of the several block members I5 there is telescopicallyassembled such a transparent push element 40 with an interposed nameplate or tab. Preferably suitable mean are provided to releasably holdthe push element 43 and the block member together, and such a means maycomprise a small shallow recess I5 (Figure 6) in a side face of theblock member and a small rounded-over projection ie on the inside of thecorresponding side wall of the push element 40; these parts may beeasily formed during the molding of the block member I5 and. push member40, and preferably the recess I5 is of greater length vertically (Figure6) than is the projection 40*, thus to provide appropriate leeway foraccommodating different thicknesses of nameplate elements 4! interposedbetween the two parts. The side wall bearing the projection l0 yields orflexes outwardly as the push element 40 is slid onto or off the blockmember I5.

The several conductors of the various signalling circuits may now beconnected to the several switching devices, by of the binding screws 25,and the upper casing part 34 may then be put into position over theabove-described subassembly, one end wall of the upper casing part 34having a suitable hole 34 (Figure 6) through which the conductors arefirst brought. As the casing part 34 is let down over the subassembly,each push element 4i! is accommodated in a hole 31 in the top wall ofthe casing and the bottom plate seats itself in the rabbet of the bottomedges of the casing side walls 34 (Figures 5 and 6); but before thislatter seating is completed, lateral projections, in the form of flangesAW and 4B (Figure 6) on each of the push elements 4.6, are engaged bythe under side of the top wall 34 of the casing 34, each along alongitudinal side of a hole 31, and by this engagement and continuingdownward movement of the upper casing 3 3 to complete the seating of theplate 35 in the wall rabbets, the push elements at, and the parts housedtherein and underneath, are moved downwardly so as to bring the lateralflanges 3! on the block members I5 spaced downwardly from the top wall28 of the sheet metal frame 28, as is shown in Figure 6. As a result,the spring I1 about each stem I4 has its amount of compression increasedand the force it exerts in upward direction, as viewed in Figures 5 and6, instead of being taken up by the engagement of flanges 3i, 3I of theblock member I 5 with the frame plate 28 is taken up by the engagementof the flanges 4i) and 40 against the under side of the casing top wall34 but the spring l! exerts its upward force upon the push element 40through the block element I5, which it tends to press farther andfarther into the push element All and thereby holds the name tab ornameplate M compressed between the two faces 48 and I5 The name tab isthus in effect always held and compressed fiat, and disarrangement orshifting thereof is guarded against.

At diagonally opposite corners the upper casing part 34, which can bemolding of any suitable plastic material, is provided with bosses, ofwhich one is shown in Figure 6 at 52; these are provided with threadedholes to receive screws 43 that pass through suitable holes 44 in thelower casing part 33 to hold the latter with its metal plate part 35seated in the wall rabbets, as above described. The bottom plate 35(Figures 5 and 6) may have secured to its bottom surface a sheet 45 ofany suitable non-metallic cushioning material, such as leather, rubber,or the like, for cushioning and non-scratching engagement with thesurface on which the structure is to rest, such as a desk.

Where the device embodies more than one switch structure, each with itsown push element as, selection of the desired push to depress is madeeasy by the elements of visibility and magnification of the identifyingindicia, as above described. Depression of the selected push brings thecontact bridging disc 15 (Figure 5) into engagement with the spacedcontact points Iii-48 to close the circuit, and by giving the undersurface of the block member i 5 a rounded or convex shape about the stemI l, the contact disc is can freely tilt and even bow or flex toaccommodate itself to the applied desired pressure and to the spacedcontacts i8ll, and by such an arrangement the need for costly precisionof dimensioning, mounting, and spacing of the contact points [8-48 canbe avoided. Moreover, the several parts are so proportioned thatexcessive downward depression is precluded, in that, as better appearsin Figure 6, the bottom end. edges or faces of the wall of the pushelement 48 find the top wall 28 of the frame 28 in their path ofdownward movement; here engagement can take place only after goodcontact bridging engagement between the disc IS and the spaced contactsiii-l3 has been effected. Where base plate 35 is metallic, theselimiting actions are of advantage in preventing metal stem I4 fromcontacting plate 35.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided in this invention apush button switch construction in which the various objects heretoforenoted, together with many thoroughly practical advantages, aresuccessfully achieved. The device has many advantages from the viewpointof manufacture and assembly, as well as in actual use. For example, itis a simple operation to remove the upper casing part and then, bysimply pulling off the push element 4G, to remove and replace the nametab M, and reassembling the parts, in case it is desired to change theidentifying indicia.

As many possible embodiments may be made of 2. the above inventioniandas many changes might bexmade in the embodiment above set forth, it isto be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in theaccompanyingdrawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimitingsense.

What is claimed is:

l. A multiple push buttcn switch construction comprising a casingforming a substantially complete enclosure and having separable upperand lower casing partsof which the lowercasing part comprises a fiatmetal :base withmeans for detachably holding them together, said casinghaving means for the entry into the interior thereof of amultiple-conductor cable, said upper casing part having a plurality ofapertures, an internal frame structure comprising spaced upper and lowerparts of which the lower is made of nonconductive material, the upperframe part having a plurality of apertures, one for each of theapertures in upper casing part, said frame struce tu-re having aplurality of switches with contact elements connector elements of whichthe latter are secured to said insulating lower frame part and therebyinsulated from eachother and, upon separation of upper and lower casingparts, are accessible for the connection thereto of cir cuit conductorsof said cable, .a plurality of actuators, one for each of said switchesand each comprising two superimposed interr'itting members havingidentifying indicia interposed therebetween and of which the upper oneis .transparent, with the lower one slidably coasting with an aperturein said upper part of said frame structure and with the transparentupper one slidably coasting in an aperture in said uppercasing part, andmeans securing said frame structure to said metal base.

2. A multiple push button switch construction according to claim 1 inwhich said switchcontact and connector elements are secured'to saidlower insulating frame part by conductive means that are exposed on theunder side of said lower frame part, said metal base having upstandingspacer means holding said frame structure with said ex.- posedconductive securing means .out of contact with said metal base.

3. A multiple push button switch construction according to claim 1 inwhich each switch actuator is depressible and has a downwardlysextendingconductive guiding stem and said lower non-conductive frame part has aplurality of apertures, one for each conductive stem, to coact inguiding during movement of depression, and means holding said framestructure with said non-conductive lower frame part thereof spaced fromsaid metal base and thereby coact toprevent contact of said conductivestems with said metal base.

4. A multiple push button switch construction as claimed in claim 3 inwhich said metal base i of sheet metal and said 1astmentioned meanscomprises a plurality of spaced danger-like parts of said sheet metalbase bent upwardly out of its plane and against which saidnon-conductive lower frame part engages, said securing means comprisingear-like extensions of said flange-like parts for clamping said lowerframe part -there-- against.

5. A multiple push buttonswitch construction comprising a framestructurecarrying a-plurality of switches and having an apertured frameplate through which project upwardly biased operating members, one foreach switch, each switch having means coacting with said frame structureto limit outward movement of its operating meme ber relative to itsframe plate aperture, an apertured top plate having a plurality oftransparent push members each of which is made of nonconductive materialand has integrally formed therewith lateral flanges and each of whichhas a pocket-like recess open at its under-side and providing aninterior bottom face in the recess against which to receive identifyingindicia, there being one recessed push member for each operating memberand each exposed at an aperture in said top plate with the lateralflange thereof below the top plate, the operating members hav ing partsrespectively received into the pocket-' like recesses of thenon-conductive transparent push members and telescopically interfittingtherewith to form connection therebetween whereby each transparent pushmember is detachable from its operating member upon movement thereof inthe direction in which said operating member is spring-biased,identifying in.- dicia received in each pocket-like recess and therebyinterposed between each operating meme ber and its transparent-pushmember, and means for detachably securing said front plate to said framestructure.

6. A multiple push button switch construction comprising a casing havinga plurality of switches therein and comprising separable-upper and lowercasing parts with means for detachably securing them together, saidupper casing part having a plurality of apertures, one for each switch,each switch having a manual actuator that comprises two parts of whichone is an outer transparent member having an upper portion exposed at anaperture in said upper casing part and having depending side wallssurrounding and forming a pocket-like recess for receiving ther inidentifying indicia and of which the other is an inner member, saidouter member icing made of a molded plastic material and said dependingside walls being resiliently 'yieldable, said inner member having a partreceived within said pocket-like recess and coacting with said yieldableside walls of the outer transparent member to form a .detachableconnection therewith, and iden ying indicia at the bottom of each recessand interposed between the two members forming the manual actuator andvisible through the outer transparent member thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,249,122 Edwards July 1-5, 1941 2,264,042 Lawler et a1 Nov.25, .1941 2,265,124 Andres Dec. 9, 194i

